A Tutoring Disaster
by MoonWriter1
Summary: Kagome Higurashi hit a rough spot when she discovered she was failing in math.  She needs to improve her grade if she wants to remain on the track team.  The only problem, Inuyasha Takahashi might be her only way of achieving this goal.
1. Prologue

**AN:** This is a story I wrote many years ago. I have decided to do a total overhaul on it and change up the plot. Let me know what you think about it. Review once you are done reading! Now enjoy…

**Prologue**

"Kagome, I am really starting to worry about your grades." A concerned teacher informed a sullen teenager. Kagome Higurashi had just spent the last five minutes being lectured by her precalculus professor. It was a conversation they seemed to have each month.

"I know Professor Haruna, but I do try. It's just no matter how hard I study the material, I never fully understand it. Why does math have to be so confusing? Couldn't it be simpler? I know it would make my life and the lives of a lot of other people easier to bear." The young brunette commented. She could never comprehend math well. To her, it was just a jumble of lines, shapes, numbers, and symbols. Nothing she could understand by the way her grades kept slowing declining.

"That's what I have been noticing for the past few months Kagome and I have come up with a brilliant idea. You need a tutor.

"A tutor?" The very thought of a tutor made Kagome squirm in her seat. Weren't tutors only for the extremely dumb? Was her future in precalculus that dismal that Professor Haruna though a tutor was her only salvation?

"Yes a tutor." Professor Haruna reiterated slowly. "It is not the end of the world, Kagome. Needing a tutor is not something to be embarrassed about so wipe that grim expression off your face." Kagome was quick with a rebuttal. However, her words were cut short by a knock on the closed classroom door.

"Perfect, he is right on time."

Kagome's grim expression turned to one of confusion. Who was Professor Haruna expecting? Kagome was under the impression that this meeting over her academic handicap was just between herself and her teacher. What if it was her mother? He would be furious to find out that her precalculus grades were still subpar!

"He? He who?" Kagome squeaked.

"Your tutor." Professor Haruna responded. Kagome breathed a sigh relief as long as it wasn't her mother. She now watched with peaked interest as Professor Haruna beckoned "her tutor" to enter the room. Who would her academic savior be? Hopefully, he was gorgeous. It would definitely make learning more worthwhile.

Instead, Kagome's heart skipped a beat when the scum of the earth passed the threshold. "Inuyasha Takahashi" Kagome screeched with disgust. She quickly turned in her seat and bombarded Professor Haruna with a pleading look.

"Is there not anyone else? Anyone, but him" Kagome dramatically asked with a quivering finger pointed in Inuyasha's direction.

"What a warm welcome Higurashi." Inuyasha rewarded Kagome with an arrogant smirk as he took a seat beside her.

Kagome huffed at Inuyasha's closeness. She knew what he was doing. He was pushing her buttons for a laugh. She never understood why he found her anger so amusing. It was a sick game to him; a game that she constantly let him win.

"Kagome calm down." Professor Haruna cracked a ruler against her desk to break the tension between the bickering pair. "Inuyasha is my best precalculus student. He has tutored many students from Cs to As. He can really help you learn this material." Professor Haruna could tell from the sick expression on Kagome's face that she was not getting to her. However, she had one more ace up her sleeve that would help to seal the deal.

"If you refuse, I will have to recommend you sit out for the track season."

"No!" Kagome exclaimed. Track was her ticket to a great college. She could not let anything jeopardize her future. If several hours of torture a few days a week meant staying on the track team, Kagome would do it. She had to. There was no other choice.

"Inuyasha is fine."

Professor Haruna congratulated Kagome on her wise decision. She then launched into the logistics of their tutor partnership. However, Kagome did not hear a thing. All she could focus on was the man casually lounging beside her. How did she end up in this situation? How did her ex-boyfriend become her new precalculus tutor?

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters. I do own this story.

**AN:** How do you like my new story? Should I continue? Review with your thoughts. Just REVIEW!


	2. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters, but I do own this story.

**Chapter 1**

_It was barely a week into her freshman year and Kagome found herself rushing to beat the tardy bell…again. Being on time seemed to be one of Kagome's weaknesses. Even when she woke up thirty minutes before her alarm went off, she was still barely on time. Normally, she made it with a few minutes to spare, but today was not the case. She had a minute before the tardy bell rang and only one hallway left before she reached her homeroom._

_"Just have to round this corner. One corner…one corner." Kagome chanted. Her backpack bobbed on her back and her breath came out in short pants. She had only a few seconds left. Kagome rounded her last corner in a full sprint. She was too focused on beating the final bell that she never saw it coming…BAM!_

_"Damn! Are you okay?"_

_Did someone say something to her? The ringing in her ears made it really hard to hear. On top of that her head was painfully throbbing. Kagome carefully opened her eyes and found her body parallel with the ground. Books, papers, and pens scattered the area around her, her backpack cushioned her head, and did she loose a shoe?_

_"What happened?" Kagome groaned. She moved into a seated position on the ground. Unfortunately her head was not taking too kindly to the sudden change in position. The pounding only intensified. Kagome brought her legs close to her chest and rested her head on her knees. The pain was making her nauseous._

_"Hey, are you okay? You don't look so good." There was that concerned voice again. Only this time it was more understandable._

_"Huh?" Kagome intellectually asked. She brought her head up quickly and, "Ow! My nose," hit her nose against a very masculine chin._

_"Shit, are you serious?" The masculine voice asked in shock. Kagome could not understand why he was so surprised. He wasn't the one sitting battered and bruised on the cold hard floor. That's when she felt it, something warm dripping on her hand._

_"I'm bleeding!" Kagome screeched. Her hand was covered in bright red blood that was coming from her nose. She felt it trickle down her nose and onto her chin. She placed both her hands under her nose to catch anymore blood from coursing down her face._

_Suddenly, a pristine white rag was shoved into her bloody hands. "Place this on your nose and apply pressure."_

_Kagome finally made eye contact with the owner of the masculine voice. He was stunning. His eyes looked straight at her, not through her. They were a rich golden color that kept her mesmerized. His strong chin and rugged facial features only heightened his masculine appeal. To top it all off, he had a gorgeous mane of silver hair._

_Kagome tried to form words, but her brain failed her. She just continued to stare at the "golden Adonis" with widened eyes. The rag that was shoved into her hands had yet to reach her nose. It sat in her bloody palms while Kagome tried to come up with something to say._

_"Put it on your nose!" The "golden Adonis" demanded again. He took the rag out of Kagome's hand and placed it firmly on her nose. Then he took one of her hands and placed it on top of the rag. Once he was certain that she could hold the rag herself, he let go. While all this was happening, Kagome continued to sit and stare._

_"You must have hit your head harder than I thought. What is your name?"_

_Kagome blinked a few times before she realized that the "golden Adonis" was asking her a question. "My name? My name…my name Kagome." Kagome mentally kicked herself. Could this day get any worse?_

_"Well Kagome do you think you can stand up? I need to get you to the nurse." Kagome looked into the man's golden eyes and nodded dumbly. She allowed him to hoist her to her feet. Kagome grabbed onto his bicep for support and could feel it bulge beneath her hands. He was strong. Kagome smiled giddily at him as he supported her weight._

_"Man, I hope this is just repercussions of your head trauma." She heard the "golden Adonis" mutter. Great, the first boy she actually found attractive at this school thinks she's a nut._

* * *

_"She came bounding around the corner and slammed right into my open locker door. I didn't even see her coming. Then as she was getting up she hit her nose on my chin."_

_Kagome glared at the "golden Adonis". She was now sitting in a blue plastic chair inside the nurse's office. She had tissues stuck up her nostrils and an ice pack pressed against her head. In front of her, the "golden Adonis" got some weird pleasure in reliving her embarrassment._

_"Well Inuyasha since your work here is done; I will get you a pass so you can head back to class. Kagome, I want you to take the rest of the day off."_

_"Yes, Nurse Kaede." Kagome nasally replied. Kagome watched the nurse leave her office to retrieve a pass. Once she was out of ear shot, Kagome turned her attention towards the "golden Adonis."_

_"Thank you for your help." Kagome flushed when the sound of her voice hit her ears. At this moment, she definitely was not the image of grace and beauty. Her blush deepened further when she saw the spark of amusement in the "golden Adonis's" eyes._

_"Don't worry about it Kagome. It's not every morning that I have a girl falling at my feet in admiration."_

_Kagome's jaw dropped in shock, Inuyasha sauntered out of the nurse's office, and that was the day that Inuyasha Takahashi and Kagome Higurashi officially met._

* * *

Kagome listened to the sound of air moving through her lungs. In. Out. In. Out. Her feet kept rhythmic time with each harsh breath as they pounded the pavement. Tap. Tap. Tap. In. Tap. Tap. Tap. Out. These were her comfort sounds. They made her worries melt away and brought about a sense of calm, but today they grated on her nerves. Each breath reminded her of the shallow gulps of air she took when Inuyasha entered Professor Haruna's classroom. Each smack of her feet on pavement brought images of her jittery feet tapping anxiously against the linoleum floor as her professor sentenced her to tutoring sessions.

With no relief in sight, Kagome slowed to a stop on the well-worn nature path. She bent over at the waist in defeat and allowed the exhaustion of her run to take over. "So how bad is it?"

Kagome jumped at the voice that broke her solitary silence. "Sango, I completely forgot you were behind me." Kagome's heart pounded from Sango's surprising presence and her blunt question.

"Obviously" Sango replied with an accompanying eye roll. "Now something is wrong and I demand to know what's bothering you."

Kagome chuckled nervously. Sango's intense glare was going to make creating a convincing lie very difficult. "Nothing's wrong Sango." Kagome squeaked. She then followed her statement with several more bouts of awkward giggles.

Sango's response was an exaggerated sigh and another eye roll. She then crossed her arms in front of her chest, narrowed her eyes in a menacing glare, and began to tap her right foot in an intimidating fast pace. She did not say a word to Kagome. Sango just held her severe pose and watched as Kagome began to squirm uncomfortably under her scrutiny.

Kagome admired the dirt surrounding her feet. Sango neither moved nor spoke for the past three minutes. It was getting rather awkward, especially when other runners on the trail would pass and send weird looks their way. Kagome knew that Sango was not going to let up until she got what she wanted. She was simply too stubborn and nosy and this time she was not going to get her way. Kagome was going to stay silent. However, after several more minutes passed by, Kagome finally cracked.

"Fine," Kagome shouted, breaking the mounting tension, "I will tell you everything."

Sango's face broke into a joyful smirk. Before she allowed Kagome to utter a single word, Sango led them both to a vacant bench located in a clearing beside the trail. She plopped Kagome's bottom onto the hard stone, then made herself comfortable in the spot next to Kagome. Sango angled her body towards Kagome's and folded her hands in her lap. She was now ready.

"Okay…now spill."

"Inuyasha is my precalculus tutor."

Sango's eyes bulged and her mouth fell open in shock. "Woah, hold up. You definitely need to explain."

Kagome took a deep fortifying breath and began from the beginning…

* * *

Inuyasha rubbed a kink in his neck while he waited for Miroku to finish grabbing all his football gear. The pair had just finished another grueling football practice. Their coach had been pushing the team harder and harder at each practice as the team got closer and closer to their next big game. Unfortunately, all the drills and tackles were leaving Inuyasha's body battered and bruised. All he wanted now was a nice rubdown from his favorite cheerleader.

"Are you almost ready to go Miroku? You know how Kikyo hates it when I am late for any of our 'dates'."

Miroku chuckled at Inuyasha's suggestive tone. "Yeah man, just let me grab my shoes then we can get going. By the way, when were you going to tell me that you were Kagome's new tutor?"

Miroku raised an eyebrow when Inuyasha shrugged his shoulders in response. "It's really not a big deal Miroku. Professor Haruna wanted me to tutor one of her students and I agreed. I didn't find out until later that said student was actually Kagome."

"And you still agreed to tutor her?" Miroku asked in surprise. He swung his gym bag over his shoulder and headed out of the locker room. Inuyasha followed closely behind.

"Why would I say no? I have tutored several people in the past, it looks good on my college applications, and it's just Kagome."

"It's not 'just Kagome', Inuyasha. It's Kagome." Miroku put extra emphasis on his second pronunciation of Kagome's name. Then Miroku paused for a few seconds to let the weight of his statement sink in. "Are you sure you're not trying to get close to her again?"

Inuyasha scoffed at Miroku's absurd question. "Miroku, Kagome and I are history. It's been two years now and I have Kikyo."

"Please Inuyasha; we both know that Kikyo is the type of girl you take to bed. Kagome is the type of girl you take home to meet your mother. Which one would you honestly want to have a relationship with?"

Inuyasha did not even stop to think about Miroku's question. He answered truthfully and had no regrets about his answer. "Since dating the "good girl" always ends in heartache, I choose Kikyo. This way I am always guaranteed to get lucky without having to worry about getting hurt in the process."

* * *

_Inuyasha had surprised her one Friday afternoon, a month after their fatal run-in. He leaned against her locker as the last bell of the day rang. He could see a blush grace her delicate cheeks the moment she noticed his presence. She was gorgeous and he hoped that everything would work out in his favor._

_"Hey Kagome." Inuyasha greeted the moment she was within earshot. "How is the head?" Kagome's bruise had finally vanished, but she had confessed, on the few occasions that they had talked, that her head was still tender to the touch._

_"It is feeling better." She squeaked. The squeaking was an improvement, Inuyasha noted to himself. Only a few weeks ago, she could barely form a complete sentence whenever he tried talking to her._

_"Good." Inuyasha creatively said in return. He moved a little bit to the side so Kagome could get into her locker. As Kagome packed her bag, Inuyasha built up the nerve to address the real reason for his surprise locker visit._

_"Kagome?"_

_"Yes" Kagome squeaked with her head hidden behind her locker door._

_"Would you like to go on a date with me this Saturday?" Kagome's head shot out from behind her locker door. Her eyes were widened in excitement._

_"Y..yes, I would love go out." Inuyasha chuckled at her reaction. Apparently her inability to form complete sentences had not completely resolved, but at least she had said yes._

_Before leaving, Inuyasha solidified plans with Kagome for the next day. He had a good feeling about tomorrow. He knew it would be the beginning of something great._

**AN:** How did everyone like the new chapter? I hope you guys are enjoying the glimpses into Kagome and Inuyasha's past relationship. Leave me a review and let me know what you think! Remember...REVIEW!


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters, but I do own this story.

**AN:** Thanks to everyone who has reviewed my story so far!

The waiting was the worst, the silent countdown to the inevitable. It was driving Kagome insane. Her eyes would dart to her bedside clock every few minutes. A sickening feeling intensified in the pit of her stomach, as Kagome watched the clock hands move closer and closer to three o'clock. It marked the beginning of her first tutoring session with Inuyasha Takahashi. Professor Haruna felt that the pair had to start their sessions as soon as possible even if it happened to be a Saturday; a day designated for rest not stress.

Kagome tried to distract herself from her impending doom. She flipped through a book. But after rereading the same paragraph ten times, Kagome deserted the novel. She then turned to the distraction of mindless television. One hundred channels later, Kagome shut the TV off. She growled in frustration and chucked the remote onto the floor. That's when she spotted it, her salvation…the cell phone. A nice gabfest with Sango could put Kagome's racing mind at ease. Kagome began to punch the all too familiar number into her phone until a flashback of last night's conversation popped into her head.

"_Maybe the tutoring sessions are a blessing in disguise Kagome." Sango had suggested to her yesterday. "It's been two years and people are capable of change." That was all Kagome got after being forced to spill her guts. Not a single word of reassurance. _

"_A person can't change that much Sango," was Kagome's only response. _

Kagome let out another aggravated growl and her cell phone joined the mistreated remote on the floor. She was giving up. Nothing was going to distract her. She would just have to endure the agonizing countdown. Kagome let her eyes wander back to her beside clock…2:45. Great, now on top of everything else she was going to be late.

* * *

Inuyasha checked his watch for the third time since entering the study room at the library that Professor Haruna reserved for his tutoring sessions. Kagome was already fifteen minutes late. He would give her five more minutes before he gave up and left. He was about to call this whole session a waste of time, right when Kagome came rushing into the room.

"Sorry for being late." Kagome huffed between gulps of air. This was not the grand entrance she wanted to make. She wanted to appear sophisticated and aloof, not frantic and sweaty. She had grown from the meek freshman Inuyasha once knew, but she wasn't doing a great job at portraying her desired image.

Inuyasha's face showed no emotion. He looked at Kagome's face without uttering a word and pointed to the seat beside him. Inuyasha finally spoke to her once she was seated beside him with her supplies properly in place on the table. "Kagome, I would appreciate it if you would not make a habit of being late to our sessions. Tardiness is extremely unprofessional." Inuyasha lectured with a cool demeanor.

Kagome's eyes narrowed in anger and her cheeks burned in embarrassment. She was not going to let Inuyasha have the last word. "Speaking of professionalism, I would appreciate it if you would refrain from showing up to our sessions with a girl's cheap lipstick marks all over your neck. Unkempt attire is extremely unprofessional."

Instead of being embarrassed, a smirk formed across Inuyasha's lips. "Jealous?"

"Of the shade of lipstick the owner of those lipstick marks uses? Hardly, it is well known that that shade is only worn by 'sluts'." Kagome cheekily replied.

"Are you sure? I heard that a light shade of pink, similar to the one you are wearing right now, is the preferred color of 'sluts'." Inuyasha retorted.

Kagome balled her hands into fists. She wanted to smack the smugness off of Inuyasha's face, but violence would get her nowhere. Instead Kagome chose to take the higher road and flee. "This session is over." Kagome declared, slapping her palm on the table. "I will not sit around and be insulted."

Inuyasha watched Kagome shove her materials back into her bag. He wanted to let her go. He would have found great pleasure in watching her flounce out of the room knowing that he could still get under her skin. There would be no regret in the words he said or the feelings he might have hurt, not like years ago. No, this time he would not let her effect him in return. However, this ideal scenario could not happen. Inuyasha had to make her stay. He had an obligation to Professor Haruna. She has been a valuable asset to him in his college pursuits and he never wanted to disappoint her. Therefore, against his will, Inuyasha heard "Kagome, please stay" leave his lips.

It was the 'please' that prompted Kagome to stop. He rarely said please. "Why?" Kagome questioned. She remained rooted in her standing position, but had turned to face Inuyasha's seated form. Her posture showed her wariness through crossed arms, pursued lips, and narrowed eyes.

"You need me.."

"Inuyasha, get over yourself." Kagome quickly interjected. She was regretting disrupting her dramatic exit to hear more of his words.

"Kagome let me finish." Inuyasha calmly responded when on the inside he was aggravated with this whole situation. The situation was getting way too dramatic for his liking. He took a deep breath to calm his nerves before continuing. "You need me to succeed in precalculus. For this to work we both need to be professional. That means no more snide remarks. We just need to focus on math."

Kagome knew Inuyasha had a point. She needed him. Once she resigned herself to that fact, maybe the tutoring sessions would be easier. "Fine, but one question Inuyasha. I know what I get out of these tutoring sessions, but what do you get?"

"I get to spend time in your lovely presence." Inuyasha replied. Kagome rolled her eyes and mumbled "smart ass" under her breath. It was time for the festivities to begin.

* * *

Two hours later, Inuyasha and Kagome were still pouring over her precalculus book.

"No, Kagome this time I want you to find the roots of that equation without plugging the equation into your calculator."

Kagome's face drooped in despair when Inuyasha grabbed her calculator and moved it out of reach. She was completely lost without it. It took her almost an hour to just learn how to solve problems with her calculator, now Inuyasha expected her to know how to solve them without technological assistance?

"6x2+11x-35=0" Kagome reiterated to herself several times. Her mind was drawing blanks.

"Take a deep breath to calm your nerves Kagome. Then look at the problem and think about your first step."

"Easy for you to say, you actually know what to do." Kagome grumbled.

"So do you Kagome. Now think, what should you do first?"

Kagome scratched her head with her pencil eraser. She hummed and hawed for several minutes before a mathematical thought popped into her head. "I should try to factor the equation?" Kagome half stated, half questioned. Inuyasha's slight nod was confirmation that she is headed in the right direction. Unfortunately, this problem was not going to be solved by simple factoring.

"It doesn't factor. So, I should try the quadratic formula?" Kagome spoke more to herself than to Inuyasha. She was on a "mathematic roll". After being forced to think in mathematic terms, Kagome could not stop the rush of information surging through her brain. It was both exhilarating and nerdy.

Two minutes later, Kagome slammed her pencil on the table and pushed the paper towards Inuyasha. She watched him as he checked over her work. Inuyasha's eyes took their time scanning her paper. The entire time Kagome anxiously jiggled her leg and bit her nails. Precalculus was going to give her an ulcer, especially if she was expected to do more problems without her calculator.

All of Kagome's apprehension dissolved when she heard Inuyasha utter one simple word. "Correct" But it was soon followed by, "now try solving this problem" which brought on another wave of anxiety.

Kagome's second spurt of mathematic processing was interrupted by a gentle knock. She quickly lifted her head to see an attractive male figure leaning against the door frame. He was a very welcomed distraction.

"Kouga" Kagome excitedly pronounced his name.

"Hey Kagome are you ready to get going?"

"Is it five o'clock already?" Kagome asked, looking at her wrist watch. "Just give me five more minutes and I will meet you outside."

"Sounds good" Kouga smoothly winked at Kagome and turned to walk away. Kagome watched his male form saunter towards the exit. Once he was out of sight, she discarded the half completed problem and began shoving her materials into her book bag.

"Kagome you need to finish this problem before you leave." Inuyasha's words halted Kagome's packing. She fixed him with an incredulous stare. Was he being serious? She already successfully solved one equation, did her really have to torture her with one more?

"Inuyasha, it's already five o'clock, time for this session to end for today. Besides, I have plans with Kouga that I would like to get to."

"Speaking of Kouga Wolfe, are you really dating that guy?" Kagome could not believe her ears. Inuyasha was actually questioning her about her relationship status. The note of jealousy in his words brought a sly grin to her lips.

"How does my relationship status affect my precalculus grade?"

Inuyasha did not let Kagome's retaliating question affect his interrogation. "What's your relationship with Kouga?"

Kagome scoffed at his out-of-line question. She could hardly believe this conversation was taking place, especially after he lectured her on keeping their relationship strictly professional. Instead of rewarding him with any type of suitable answer, Kagome responded to his question with another question of her own. "What's it to you?"

Inuyasha leaned back in his chair. He placed his hands behind his head and crossed his outstretched legs at his ankles. Finally her allowed a casually smile to work its way onto his lips as he replied, "I could hardly care who you date Kagome, but if you're looking for any type of satisfaction Kouga will only let you down…in all areas." Inuyasha topped off his unwelcomed advice with a suggestive wiggle of his eyebrows.

His words had their desired effect. Kagome's face was frozen in a temporary stage of shock and outrage. He watched in silent pleasure as Kagome tried to recover from her surprise. She struggled to stammer out a biting response to once again reclaim the upper hand in the situation, but her mind kept failing her. Each incoherent sentence that left her lips made her cheeks light up in humiliation.

After several more failed attempts at speaking, Kagome shoved the rest of her belongings into her bag and made as dignified an exit as the situation would allow. She cringed when she heard Inuyasha bellow, "Don't forget to complete that sheet of equations by Monday!" to her scurrying form. He knew just had to add insult to injury.

Inside the study room, Inuyasha released a round of deep side-splitting laughter. He was starting to rethink this entire tutoring situation. Maybe, in the end, it would be more worth his while.

* * *

"How did you know that I love Japanese steakhouses?" Kagome asked Kouga excitedly. After rescuing her from her personal form of prison, Kouga surprised Kagome with dinner reservations to an unknown restaurant. She was very pleased to learn that he had good taste.

Kouga laughed at her uncontained excitement while he helped Kagome out of his car. "It was not hard to guess Kagome. You spent a good chunk of time during out last date telling me how much you enjoy watching chef's cook."

Kagome was relieved and happy to know that Kouga actually listened to what she said. Sometimes she felt that she babbled way too much whenever she was in his presence. She would not have been surprised if he tuned her voice out sometimes.

As Kouga held the door of the restaurant open for her, Kagome assessed the attire of her clothes against the attire of the other restaurant clients. "I really wish you would have let me change first before you took me here. I feel so underdressed." Kagome pouted. She felt very underdressed.

"Kagome, you look beautiful."

"_You look gorgeous tonight, Kagome."_

"_Thank you Inuyasha." It was seven o'clock on a Saturday night and Inuyasha had just arrived to pick her up for their first date. The appreciative look in Inuyasha's eyes warmed Kagome's cheeks. She was elated that he appreciated the simple black slip dress she chose to wear for their date. She had fretted for hours on what to wear and knowing that she picked successfully helped to relieve some of her frazzled nerves. Unfortunately, her nerves were still running haywire. _

_The sound of approaching feet increased Kagome's anxiety. Her face fell into a look of terror. She was hoping to avoid this part of the whole 'date'. "Kagome, aren't you going to introduce me to your gentleman caller?"_

_Kagome cringed at the question. He just had to say 'gentleman caller'. Kagome molded her face into a welcoming smile before turning to face her grandfather. _

"_Of course grandpa, I was just about to get you." Kagome led Inuyasha into her house with an apologetic look in her eyes. Kagome knew her grandfather meant well. Since her father passed away ten years ago, Haruo Yamagata took the role of male figure in Kagome's life. She appreciated everything he did for her, but she was hoping that he would forget about his 'role' in this particular event. _

_Haruo approached the pair. When it was obvious that Kagome was not going to move aside from her shielding position, Haruo gently moved her to the side and stopped all her protests with an intimidating gaze. Kagome tightly sealed her lips and watched the scene that was unfolding before her eyes._

"_What is your name young man?"_

"_Inuyasha Takashasi, sir." Inuyasha responded with respect. He extended his hand to shake Haruo's hand. Kagome could see that her grandfather was surprised and pleased by Inuyasha's manners. _

"_Will you be driving my granddaughter this evening?"_

"_Yes sir."_

"_Are you even old enough to drive? Let me see your licenses young man." Haruo extended his hand, palm up, towards Inuyasha. Kagome cringed in embarrassment. This date was going to be over before it even began. Inuyasha would probably leave before her grandfather finished all of his absurd interrogations and Kagome wouldn't blame him for leaving either._

_Surprisingly, Inuyasha did not turn for the door. Instead he pulled out his license, without resistance, and placed it into Haruo's hand. Haruo scrutinized Inuyasha's license closely. The occasional hums that escaped his lips put Kagome's stomach into knots. How long did it take to look at a license?_

_After what felt like hours, Haruo handed the license back to Inuyasha. "Now I expect you to keep your hands to yourself throughout the entire evening Inuyasha. Kagome is a good girl and we are going to keep her that way." A squeak escaped from Kagome's mouth. Did her grandfather just tell Inuyasha that she was a virgin? This was getting mortifying. _

_Haruo completely ignored her mortification and small outburst and continued to finish his speech. "You will treat her with the utmost respect, make sure that she has a good time, and I expect her to be home by ten thirty. If she is even a minute late I will have to rethink letting her see you again." _

_That's if he even wants to see her again after meeting this moment, Kagome thought to herself. Kagome turned to Inuyasha in anticipation. "You have nothing to fear sir. I will follow all of your rules." Those were definitely not the words she expected him to say. _

"_Good, now you two get going." _

_Kagome took that as her cue to jump back into the conversation. She grabbed her purse off the stair step while mumbling a hurried "thank you" to her grandfather. She kissed her grandfather's leathery cheek before grabbing Inuyasha's arm in a vice-like grip. Kagome pulled Inuyasha through her front door and was not able to breathe comfortably until she heard the door click shut behind them. _

_Kagome discreetly fanned her flushed form. She could feel Inuyasha's piercing gaze take in her nervous state. Kagome could not bear to look into his eyes. Her anxiety could not handle that right now. However, Kagome knew she needed to say something, anything to change the awkward mood that she felt was settling between them._

"_It's nice out tonight," was the brilliant conversation topic that Kagome could come up with on such short notice. She started to move towards Inuyasha's car that was parked by the curb in front of her house as she waited for his response._

"_A perfect night for a date with a beautiful girl."_

_Those words gave Kagome the strength to look into Inuyasha's eyes. They reassured her that their date wouldn't be the horrible disaster she believed it would become. That was until Kagome forgot about the porch step._

_Kagome shut her eyes tight and prayed that the impact would not hurt. However, her butt never made contact with the hard porch surface. Instead Kagome was enveloped in Inuyasha's warm arms. She looked into his amused eyes and felt another round of redness settle into her cheeks. Her cheeks would never be pale in his presence._

"_Is it going to become a habit for you to lose your balance in my presence?" _

_Kagome could only laugh in reply. Inuyasha helped Kagome settle back onto her heels. Once he was sure that she was firmly balanced again, Inuyasha took her hand within his own and led her the rest of the way to his car. Hand holding was definitely a good sign._

_Once settled in the car, Kagome tried to relax as Inuyasha drove. He tried to engage her into small talk, but words were starting to fail her again. She was lucky if she was able to form two to three coherent sentences. After several failed attempts at conversation, Inuyasha just allowed the silence to settle between them. _

_Kagome welcomed the silence. It gave her a chance to chant comforting words over and over in her head to calm her frazzled state of mind. It was working until Inuyasha took her left hand within his right hand for the rest of the drive. All this contact was going to give her a heart attack. _

_

* * *

_

"_Do you like the restaurant?" _

_Inuyasha had taken her to her first Japanese steakhouse. She was in a state of awe as she watched the chef cook in front of her. Kagome cringed and took hold of Inuyasha's arm when the stove was alit in flames for several seconds. Laughter escaped her lips when she watched a piece of shrimp bounce off of Inuyasha's nose and she released a triumphant cheer when her shrimp landed perfectly into her mouth. _

_Now the pair was sitting side-by-side eating the wonderfully prepared meal. Kagome was getting better at conversing, but still found herself stuttering from time to time. Thankfully, Inuyasha seemed to find her stammering endearing. _

"_Yes, I love it." Kagome replied. She looked into Inuyasha's eyes, which was becoming easier and rather addicting, and gave him a warm smile. However, her euphoric mood did not last long._

"_Shoot!" Kagome exclaimed. She just managed to knock her water glass over, wetting the red tablecloth and ruining Inuyasha's dinner. Kagome grabbed her dinner napkin and began to furiously dab at the mess while apologizing profusely to Inuyasha._

"_I am so sorry Inuyasha. I am such a klutz. I just ruined a perfectly good evening." Kagome could feel tears prickle the back of her eyes. Hopefully, she could hold them at bay until she rushed to the lady's restroom._

_Inuyasha grabbed Kagome's hand and made her release her dinner napkin. He linked their fingers and turned her face towards his own. "Kagome, you didn't ruin anything. No matter what happens, this evening will always be perfect in my eyes because I am here with you."_

"Kagome did you hear me?"

"Sorry Kouga, I was thinking about what I was going to eat tonight." Kagome giggled. "What did you say?"

"I was asking if you would wear my team jacket to the football game Wednesday night."

Kagome knew what his question really meant. "Kouga, aren't the player's girlfriends only allowed to wear their team jackets?" Kagome asked with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.

"Yes"

"Are you asking me to be your girlfriend?"

"Are you saying yes?"

"How about I say yes to wearing your coat and I'll let you know about being your girlfriend later." Kagome proposed. She put on her best flirty face and batted her eyelashes a few times in Kouga's direction.

"Sounds like a plan." Kouga responded, sealing the deal with a sweet kiss.

* * *

In another part of town, Inuyasha had finally made it to Kikyo's doorstep. He knew he was running late, but Kikyo would just have to deal. Inuyasha had gotten caught up in planning his next tutoring session with Kagome that he forgot about the time. Inuyasha rang the door bell and prepared himself for Kikyo's inevitable temper tantrum. He was completely caught off guard when, instead of a screaming shrew, he was greeted by an onslaught of kisses from coral painted lips.

"Yashie! I am glad you're finally here. I am in need of some of your special loving." Kikyo purred. She latched her lips onto his neck and wrapped her legs around his waist.

Inuyasha supported Kikyo's weight with his arms and accepted her fervent kisses. His girl was horny and he was more than happy to fulfill her desires. He carried Kikyo across her doorstep and securely locked the door behind them. It was time to give her the satisfaction that he knew he could always provide.

* * *

"_I had a great time tonight Inuyasha." _

_It was ten fifteen and Inuyasha was walking Kagome to her front doorstep. He held her hand firmly in his grasp and enjoyed the silkiness of her skin. He did not want the night to end. Through all the blunders, stammered sentences, and flushed cheeks Inuyasha could not get enough of her. She intrigued him with her quirkiness; her surprising conversation topics kept him on his toes; and her beauty kept his eyes captivated. She was leaving a mark and it was only the first date. _

"_I did to Kagome." Inuyasha's heart sped up when he saw her cheeks color for the hundredth time that night. She held his gaze this time, instead of looking away like she had so many times throughout the date. _

_He wanted to kiss her, badly. He searched her eyes for a sign of what she wanted. Did she kiss on the first date? Would he be her first kiss? Should he ask her for permission or just go for it? All these questions were racing through his mind and driving him insane. She just kept staring at him with those gorgeous eyes and Inuyasha still had no clue how she felt._

"_Kagome can you kiss I?" Inuyasha winced when he heard his incoherent question. He was turning into Kagome. From the look on Kagome's face, she did not mind his idiotic moment one bit. Amusement shone in her eyes as she tried to contain her laughter. However, the best moment of the night occurred when she nodded her head yes._

_Inuyasha did not wait another second. He gently cradled her face in his hands. He watched her eyes flutter close in anticipation. For a second he marveled at her innocent beauty before closing his eyes and pressing his lips against her own. It was a kiss that stopped time and connected hearts._

**AN: **What did you think of Chapter 2. For anyone who is worried, this will be an Inuyasha/Kagome story. Things can't always be perfect in the beginning! Now don't forget to REVIEW. Go do it now!


	4. Chapter 3

**AN:** I am alive! I know it has been nearly a year since I last updated this story, but I have not abandoned it. I had a bit of a writer's block and then life got busy, but I am back. I am sorry that this chapter is short, but I wanted to get something posted ASAP. I am already working on the next chapter so hopefully that will be out in the next week. Now read and enjoy! Don't forget to let me know what you think by reviewing once you are done!

**Chapter 3**

Sunday morning Sango showed up bright and early bearing a bag of fresh pastries and an earnest look on her face. Sango wanted details. She did not give Kagome a chance to say hello or rub the sleep from her eyes before she barreled through the open door. Sango made a beeline for the kitchen where she started to make a strong pot of coffee and place the pastries on a plate. Kagome took a seat at the dining room table and watched her friend work. There was no point in fighting Sango off. She always managed to get her way.

"Tell me everything" Sango demanded. She placed a steaming cup of coffee in front of Kagome's face before taking a seat across from her. Sango munched on an enormous muffin while she waited for Kagome to begin.

Kagome took her time to respond. She took a sip of her coffee. Then, as she felt the caffeine work its rejuvenating magic, she carefully perused her pastry options. After deciding upon a delicious cheese Danish, Kagome met Sango's anxious gaze and chose that moment to answer her question.

"Kouga wants me to wear his letterman's jacket to this Wednesday's game."

Sango choked on the coffee making its way to her esophagus. She stared at Kagome with widened eyes as she tried to catch her breath. Once her coughing spasms subsided Sango was ready with another round of questions. "Really? That's pretty fast. This was your third date right? What happened to taking things slow? What did you say?"

"Sango slow down." Kagome laughed. "Let's take it one question at a time. First, yes he did ask me to wear his letterman's jacket and I said yes." Kagome paused to give Sango time to digest the information completely.

This time Sango choked on the piece of muffin that she chose to swallow at the same time Kagome began to answer her questions. Sango was quickly learning that eating and drinking during this particular conversation was going to be hazardous to her health. "Kagome, you do know what that means don't you?" Sango wheezed.

"Yes, I do know what it means Sango. This won't be the first time that I've worn a guy's jacket to a football game. However, even though I agreed to wear Kouga's I still have not agreed to be his girlfriend." Kagome examined her friend to make sure she was handling the news well. She was worried that Sango was going to hurt herself if she got any more shocking news.

"Interesting"

"Interesting?" Kagome echoed. "What do you mean by interesting?"

"Well it's just interesting how history seems to be repeating itself. Kouga is the first guy you have really dated since freshman year and the progression of this relationship seems to be mimicking the progression of your last relationship. You are just being a bit more cautious with actual relationship labels."

Kagome's face scrunched into a look of disgust. She was not happy to hear the words that came out of Sango's mouth. "I was naïve when I dated Inuyasha. He was my first serious relationship and I did not know how to handle many situations that he and I went through together. I have learned from that past mistake and I am not going to let my relationship with Kouga mimic what I went through with Inuyasha."

"You're right." Sango conceded. She did not try to push the subject any further. Sango could see that Kagome was getting annoyed with the direction of their current conversation. It was better to agree with Kagome, for the moment, instead of starting a battle of words.

"You know what you are doing with Kouga." Sango finished. She offered no other words of advice or encouragement to Kagome regarding this subject. For now, she had to let Kagome make her own decisions without any interference.

After the end of that conversation, Kagome stared into the half empty coffee cup and enjoyed the surrounding silence. Unfortunately, it did not last long. "So now tell me about your tutor session with Inuyasha."

Kagome released an exasperated sigh. Sango knew how to pick great Sunday morning conversation topics. Before answering the question, Kagome got up and refilled her mug with coffee. She was going to need another caffeine infusion to tackle this topic.

"It was surreal." Kagome began as she reclaimed her seat besides Sango at the dining table. "I have not been that close to Inuyasha for years. There were moments where he was the same arrogant bastard that I remember. Then there were moments where he surprised me."

"Surprised you how?" Sango reached for another muffin and prepared herself for what she hoped would be a detailed account of Kagome's recent Inuyasha encounter.

"He was patient." Kagome began. "He never got frustrated when I could not understand the math concepts. Instead he took the time to explain every confusing topic to me over and over again until I understood. Gone was the short-tempered guy from my past."

"Isn't that a good thing?" Sango forced out around a mouth full of food. If she knew Kagome's explanation would be so short, Sango would not have taken such a large bite.

The question made Kagome scoff. "You'd think that, but then all thoughts of change died when he strayed away from precalculus and started commenting on my relationship with Kouga." Sango's eyes bugged and her brows shot up into her hairline. Kagome knew she owed her best friend further explanation. Unfortunately, that meant Kagome would have to relieve that mortifying moment.

* * *

"Kagome, did you ever stop to think that maybe Inuyasha was trying to dissuade your interest in Kouga?"

It was now Kagome's turn to choke on her second pastry of the morning, a delicious donut that was now uncomfortably lodged in her airway. "Absolutely not!" Kagome croaked. After several gulps of lukewarm coffee, Kagome was able to finish her rebuttal without a rasp. "He is dating Kikyo."

Sango would have commented on Kagome's lame response, but she was more distracted by what she had just revealed. "How do you know he is dating Kikyo? Miroku never mentioned that to me."

"She left her lipstick mark on his neck yesterday. She is the only girl who owns that unique shade of red. During freshman year Kikyo bragged nonstop about how her mother got her lip shade custom made. It is her 'signature color'."

"That doesn't mean Inuyasha isn't jealous of your relationship with Kouga."

"And it doesn't mean he is."

* * *

"Higurashi you're late again." It was Monday afternoon and the smirk accompanying Inuyasha's condescending remark made Kagome rethink the promise she made to herself that morning. How could she be nice to a boy who found pleasure in taunting others?

"Please Inuyasha, explain to me how I am late? It is 3:55 and we are not scheduled to meet until 4. I am actually five minutes early." Kagome did not stop there. She sauntered over to Inuyasha's seated form and gracefully took a seat beside him before going in for the kill. "Now I can't help it if Kikyo refuses to put out during the thirty minutes between the final bell and now, thus leaving you with nothing else to do with your time while you anxiously await my arrival."

Inuyasha was not going to let Kagome get the last word. "First, being on time to a session is showing up late. Arriving fifteen minutes early to review material from the previous meeting is being on time." He paused to give Kagome time to process his words. The twitch in her eye let him know that she was getting annoyed. "Second, rest assured Higurashi, I was satisfied in more ways than one before arriving, on time, to our session today."

"You're disgusting Inuyasha"

"And you love it. Now let's get down to business." And surprisingly those words ended their little spat. Kagome backed down and began to pull her material from her bag while Inuyasha looked for a pencil. Maybe the pair was making progress?

"Alright, let's take a look at the equations I assigned you last time."

Kagome nervously handed Inuyasha her worksheet. Her stomach twisted in knots when she saw him take out a red pen. She hated red pens. In less than a minute Inuyasha already had the cap off the pen and was marking up all her hard work. Kagome had to look away. She could not watch all her hard work being defaced.

His sigh ten minutes later let Kagome know that he was done grading. She cautiously focused her attention back on Inuyasha and could not believe all the red covering her sheet. There was barely any white space left on her page. Maybe this tutoring idea was hopeless. It was only the start of her second tutor session, but shouldn't there be some improvement? She only managed to get two out of twenty problems correct. Two out of twenty!

"I am such a failure." Kagome moaned. Her head fell onto the table and she just covered her face in defeat.

"Kagome stop being so dramatic, it isn't as bad as you think."

"That's easy for you to say Inuyasha. You're not the one failing in math." Kagome whined. "I can't even get half of the equations right!"

Inuyasha released an exasperated sigh and shook his head in slight disgust. He was never good at pep talks, but he knew if he was going to help Kagome succeed in math he would have to cheer her up. "Kagome, pull it together." Inuyasha grabbed Kagome by the shoulders and hauled her head off the table. He smushed her cheeks between his hand and turned her face in his direction. "I know what I am doing. I am an amazing tutor and you will not fail precalculus. Now stop freaking out and let's focus on what you did wrong on these equations so we can correct it."

It probably wasn't the best pep talk, but it had the desired effect. The look of desperation in Kagome's eyes was replaced by determination and she nodded her head in agreement. "Good." Inuyasha announced. He released her cheeks and grabbed her marred worksheet.

"We are going to start by putting away that calculator."

"NO!" Kagome screeched. She grabbed the calculator away from Inuyasha and cradled it against her chest. "How am I supposed to succeed in precalculus without my trusted math partner?"

Inuyasha just had to laugh. Kagome was actually stroking her calculator as if it was her beloved pet. "Kagome give me the calculator." He made another grab for it and got into a tug-of-war fight with Kagome. Fortunately he was the victor.

"Inuyasha you are horrible." Kagome pouted.

"Kagome obviously the calculator is not helping you solve these equations." Inuyasha pointed out. He placed the calculator in his bag and moved it out of Kagome's reach. "You need to learn the basics to get these equations correct and you do not need a calculator to learn them. I will give you the calculator back once you learn how to correctly answer these questions on your own."

He could feel her death glare bore holes into the side of his head. Kagome was furious, but she would be thanking him in the long run. "Now stop glaring at me Kagome, open your book, and let's start figuring out where you went wrong."

* * *

"Correct" Two hours had now passed by and Inuyasha was getting exhausted. On a better note Kagome was able to solve all her missed equations from the weekend.

Kagome breathed a sigh of relief. She dropped her pencil on the wooden table and rubbed her temples. Her mind felt like mush. "So we are done for the day?"

"Yes, but you will need to complete these equations for tomorrow." Inuyasha handed Kagome another page of twenty equations. "And no male distractions." He added in the same authoritative voice.

"What is that supposed to me?" Kagome asked. Were they going to have the same arguments during each session? If so, she better work on her snarky comebacks.

"As your tutor I have the right to prohibit you from becoming distracted by people like Kouga Wolfe."

Kagome scoffed. Inuyasha was an entitled ass. "As I said on Friday Inuyasha, my relationship is none of your concern. You have your whore and I have my prince. So let's just stick to math and leave our relationships out of it."

With those two it was always one step forward and two steps back.

**AN:** I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Let me know what you thought by reviewing! REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! Show me your love and REVIEW!


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